Robert Thacker vs. Bobby Fischer
Puzzle from a simul, Thacker vs Robert Fischer, USA, 1957 – a beautiful example of underpromotion.
Black to move and mate in 2.
Roll over to see the solution: ...1.dxe1=N 2.Kg1 Qg2#
FEN: 2r2r2/6kp/3p4/3P4/4Pp2/5P1P/PP1pq1P1/4R2K b - - 0 1
About the players
Robert James "Bobby" Fischer (1943-2008) was an American chess Grandmaster and World Chess Champion. He became the U.S. Chess Champion at 14, and the youngest Grandmaster at 15. He also made many contributions to chess, including the modified timing system that adds a bonus after each move.
1. Rc8-c1 Re1-g1
2. d2-d1=Q Rg1xd1
3. Rc1xd1 Kh1-h2
4. Qe2-f1 b2-b4
5. Qf1-h1#
Thus?
1. d2xe1=N Kh1-g1
2. Qe2xg2
Riiiiiiight
This nor the Fischer knew. Look at his game so you can see what he did.
Qe2xe1# Kh1-h2
d2-d1=Q b2-b4
Qe1-g1++
boris mad face
1. d2xe1=N Kh1-g1
2. Qe2xg2
1.Qe1
2. Kh2
3.Qg3
4.Re1
**4.**Rc1
1…dxe1=N 2. Kg1 Qxg2#
1. d2xe1=N
2. Kh1-g1 Qe2xg2#
but this is best way
Rc8-c1
2. Re1xc1 d2xc1=Q+
3. Kh1-h2 Qe2-f1
4. b2-b4 Qf1-h1#
took a bit more moves
dxe1-N. b3
Qxg2#
If someone hadn’t told me to do it in two moves, I wouldn’t have seen it. Just lovely.
Pawn takes rook, promote to knight. Queen to g2. Check mate.
Really an interesting one. Habitually we think of promoting pawn as Queen. Out of the box thinking.